It's been several years since I had ich in a tank,(knocks on wood) but I used a copper treatment as well and that did the trick. It was before I found this forum and learned all about salt.
Finally have ich in my tank
- Thread starter Caveden
- Start date
I almost always use heat (86F+) alone and have never had issues with infections; gotta make sure that aeration is intense to make up for the lower dissolve oxygen level. Salt as an additive is good but I avoid it for some tanks or sensitive fish.
If you're into chemicals, there is or was a commercial treatment called NoxIch or something like that, which I believe was a mixture of Methylene Blue and Formalin (don't quote me on that). It worked well, but was tough on inverts, some plants, your silicone seams (turned blue), and generally unpleasant to use. Ich is so easily cured with salt, heat or a combination of the two that I don't see the point of other more extreme treatments.
Now, here's the problem: the spots that are visible on your fish are embedded Ich parasites, and they are pretty much untouchable. They will continue their life cycle and fall off, sitting on the bottom and forming scads of new free-swimming forms that will then seek out and infect new fish. That free-swimming phase is the only phase of the life cycle that you can kill with any sort of treatment...which means that the spots on your fish now are going to disappear whether you do anything or not, but if you don't have something in place to kill the next batch of the free-swimming infective stage, the next wave of Ich on your fish will be far worse than what you now see. Raising the temperature speeds up the life-cycle of the parasite, so that the free-swimmers will appear sooner and thus allow the tank to be cured that much quicker...but there is no sure way to correct this problem in the couple of days you have remaining. It typically takes 7 - 10 days of treatment to ensure that all the parasites have matured enough to progress through to the free-swimming, vulnerable stage. You are not treating the spots on the fish, or the fish themselves; you are treating the tank itself. That's the only way to view this situation; Ichthyophthirius multifiliis isn't a very tough problem, but it does demand some understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. No shortcuts; you either cure the tank by doing what's needed...or you don't.
Temps above 86F were long thought to be sufficient to kill the free-swimming phase or at least prevent it from attaching to new hosts, but there are now apparently strains of the parasite that can withstand that temperature. It seems reasonable that those strains, if they exist, would appear in tropical climates such as yours.
I'm sorry to say that it seems as though your scheduled trip is happening at exactly the wrong time!
Still think all those live feeders are such a good idea?
If you're into chemicals, there is or was a commercial treatment called NoxIch or something like that, which I believe was a mixture of Methylene Blue and Formalin (don't quote me on that). It worked well, but was tough on inverts, some plants, your silicone seams (turned blue), and generally unpleasant to use. Ich is so easily cured with salt, heat or a combination of the two that I don't see the point of other more extreme treatments.
Now, here's the problem: the spots that are visible on your fish are embedded Ich parasites, and they are pretty much untouchable. They will continue their life cycle and fall off, sitting on the bottom and forming scads of new free-swimming forms that will then seek out and infect new fish. That free-swimming phase is the only phase of the life cycle that you can kill with any sort of treatment...which means that the spots on your fish now are going to disappear whether you do anything or not, but if you don't have something in place to kill the next batch of the free-swimming infective stage, the next wave of Ich on your fish will be far worse than what you now see. Raising the temperature speeds up the life-cycle of the parasite, so that the free-swimmers will appear sooner and thus allow the tank to be cured that much quicker...but there is no sure way to correct this problem in the couple of days you have remaining. It typically takes 7 - 10 days of treatment to ensure that all the parasites have matured enough to progress through to the free-swimming, vulnerable stage. You are not treating the spots on the fish, or the fish themselves; you are treating the tank itself. That's the only way to view this situation; Ichthyophthirius multifiliis isn't a very tough problem, but it does demand some understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. No shortcuts; you either cure the tank by doing what's needed...or you don't.
Temps above 86F were long thought to be sufficient to kill the free-swimming phase or at least prevent it from attaching to new hosts, but there are now apparently strains of the parasite that can withstand that temperature. It seems reasonable that those strains, if they exist, would appear in tropical climates such as yours.
I'm sorry to say that it seems as though your scheduled trip is happening at exactly the wrong time!
Still think all those live feeders are such a good idea?
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I see the issue. What should I do now, with my trip from 10th - 20th December? At the moment I have added the aquarium salt. Does that kill the free swimmers, once they develop? I know that the increased heat speeds up the life cycle, so is the salt the ich killer?
usually buy my feeders from a reputable source, they quarantine their feeders, and have been buying from them over the past years with no issues. Only recently did I visit a nearby LFS to buy feeders as I didn’t want to travel far due to my exams.
Important with both heat and salt, since both reduce the oxygen carrying capacity of water.
Don't think it was mentioned which species, but it's also a consideration, since high temperatures can stress some fish. There's nearly always more than one way to treat fish illnesses, and factors like water chemistry can make a difference to which is most effective, so as far as I usually go is to say this or that worked for me, but one of things I like about Coppersafe is you can leave it in the tank for 30 days, which should treat the complete life cycle at tropical temperatures-- I've never had retreat afterwards. Might be a good option if you'll be away for a while.
The salt is effective if dosed at the levels explained above. Lesser dosages won't do the trick.
Temperatures higher than 86F are also effective...unless you have one of those new heat-resistant strains. Temperatures lower than 86F will still speed up the life cycle of Ich, but won't kill it.
I agree wholeheartedly with
neutrino
above; you must consider the types of fish you have before choosing a course of action. Things like temperature sensitiviy and required dissolved oxygen levels vary from species to species. If you have live plants, that's another concern, as is the presence of snails, shrimp and other invertebrates.
I have no access in Canada to fish medications, but I used just salt and/or heat even before that particular legislative boot came down on my neck. Salt will remain effective until you remove it be means of water changes, so it has much the same benefit as a copper treatment.
For sure, you will need to do something that will continue its effectiveness while you are gone, without relying upon someone else to re-dose or otherwise mess with your tank. Ich isn't the End Of Days for your fish; treated intelligently, it's very easy to control and eradicate. Good luck!
Temperatures higher than 86F are also effective...unless you have one of those new heat-resistant strains. Temperatures lower than 86F will still speed up the life cycle of Ich, but won't kill it.
I agree wholeheartedly with
neutrino
above; you must consider the types of fish you have before choosing a course of action. Things like temperature sensitiviy and required dissolved oxygen levels vary from species to species. If you have live plants, that's another concern, as is the presence of snails, shrimp and other invertebrates.I have no access in Canada to fish medications, but I used just salt and/or heat even before that particular legislative boot came down on my neck. Salt will remain effective until you remove it be means of water changes, so it has much the same benefit as a copper treatment.
For sure, you will need to do something that will continue its effectiveness while you are gone, without relying upon someone else to re-dose or otherwise mess with your tank. Ich isn't the End Of Days for your fish; treated intelligently, it's very easy to control and eradicate. Good luck!
This yes? Seems like a good idea to me while I’m away, so I wouldn’t stress so much. Shipment is by 7-9th December, so it would be perfect timing before I leave as well.
...but you have salt in your kitchen right now, so...just sayin'...
Don't worry about aquarium salt or sea salt or kosher salt or non-iodized salt...just plain table salt will allow you to begin treating your tank right now...instead of waiting until later this week, right before you need to go away.
Don't fall into the trap I see many fishkeepers mired in. "My fish are sick/infected/dying/whatever. I will go to the store this weekend and get something."
Time is an issue. The infection continues its expansion and growth regardless of your timetable.
Don't worry about aquarium salt or sea salt or kosher salt or non-iodized salt...just plain table salt will allow you to begin treating your tank right now...instead of waiting until later this week, right before you need to go away.
Don't fall into the trap I see many fishkeepers mired in. "My fish are sick/infected/dying/whatever. I will go to the store this weekend and get something."
Time is an issue. The infection continues its expansion and growth regardless of your timetable.
Yup… I dosed the salt at the correct amount according to the main ich thread under the “freshwater diseases and treatments” section on this forum -> 2 teaspoons per gallon.The salt is effective if dosed at the levels explained above. Lesser dosages won't do the trick.
Temperatures higher than 86F are also effective...unless you have one of those new heat-resistant strains. Temperatures lower than 86F will still speed up the life cycle of Ich, but won't kill it.
I agree wholeheartedly with
I have no access in Canada to fish medications, but I used just salt and/or heat even before that particular legislative boot came down on my neck. Salt will remain effective until you remove it be means of water changes, so it has much the same benefit as a copper treatment.
For sure, you will need to do something that will continue its effectiveness while you are gone, without relying upon someone else to re-dose or otherwise mess with your tank. Ich isn't the End Of Days for your fish; treated intelligently, it's very easy to control and eradicate. Good luck!
my tank is mainly hardy fish of bichirs, gar snakehead and wolf fish, able to tolerate low oxygen levels and temperature differences.
I have treated ich before; with salt, no increase in temp ( I don’t have a heater, I don’t think Singapore sells them as it’s a tropical country all year round). Im just worried this time as I’ll be overseas.
for it to continue its effectiveness while I’m gone, I should probably add the salt, and coppersafe to ensure the life cycle dies off, if I am correct
Ironic
When I first started keeping fish in the late 1950s, one way to treat ick, was to throw a few "real" copper pennies in the tank, and it worked, until they stopped adding real copper to pennies..
Here in Panama, I will often collect a fish, that has an ick cyst or 2 , and the water in certain slow flowing areas will have temps in the mid to upper 80sF.
So it may matter the origin of certain ick infections on how they are treated. A michigan strain might easily be thwarted with a high temp, whereas a Panamanian strain might laugh raised temps off.
There are also strains from the African rift lakes, immune to a normal osmotic treatment, so if a wild caught rift lake African may require a higher dose of salinity or even a med like Malachite.
When I first started keeping fish in the late 1950s, one way to treat ick, was to throw a few "real" copper pennies in the tank, and it worked, until they stopped adding real copper to pennies..
Here in Panama, I will often collect a fish, that has an ick cyst or 2 , and the water in certain slow flowing areas will have temps in the mid to upper 80sF.
So it may matter the origin of certain ick infections on how they are treated. A michigan strain might easily be thwarted with a high temp, whereas a Panamanian strain might laugh raised temps off.
There are also strains from the African rift lakes, immune to a normal osmotic treatment, so if a wild caught rift lake African may require a higher dose of salinity or even a med like Malachite.
Yup! I’ve already added the aquarium salt in the tank this afternoon. Once I noticed the ich, I immediately did a waterchange. Added 2.8kg of salt into the aquarium, upon weighing on a measuring scale.
